Bulgarian police seize more than 360 kilograms of cocaine

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Bulgarian police have discovered and seized more than 360 kilograms (nearly 800 pounds) of cocaine from an apartment in the capital.

Sofia police chief Georgi Hadzhiev said Wednesday that the cocaine haul was made in the apartment of 33-year old Nikolay Petrov, after police had initially found 40 kilograms (about 90 pounds) of the drug during a routine check of his car and arrested him.

Hadzhiev said that the estimated street value of the high-grade cocaine haul was more than 45 million euros ($50 million). According to him, most of the cocaine was to be smuggled and sold in Western Europe.

Bulgaria, which lies on a drug route from the Middle East to Western Europe, has taken massive steps in the past couple of years to prevent drug trafficking.